Improvement in stone-dressing machines



TNESSES:

J.C.MILLER.

swouE-nmssme MACHINE. I

/ Patented 0cp.24, 1876.

' ATTBRNEYS.

NAPETIERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER WASHINGTON, D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. MILLER, OF BRIDGEWATER, VIRGINIA.

lMPROVEMENT IN STONE-DRESSING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 183,586, dated October '24, 1876; application filed September 16, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN G. MILLER,.of Bridgewater, in the county of Rockingham and State of Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Dressing the Heads of Gravestones, of which the followingis a specification:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section on line :0 m, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on line y 3 Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, a horizontal section on line 2 2', Fig.2, of my improved machine for dressing the heads of gravestones.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The invention has reference to a machine for grinding and dressing the ends or heads of grave and other stones into any required shape in rapid and convenient manner, without'danger of injuring the slabs by cutting or otherwise; and the invention consists of adjustable supporting pieces and holdingplanks, between which the stones are secured head downward, to be ground or dressed by a reciprocating trough with a metallic shapin g-plate containing sand and water.

In the drawing, A represents the bed or base frame, on which is reciprocated, by suitable power, a carriage, B, that runs on trackrails of bed A. The bed-frame A has rigidlybraced uprights A, between which the stones to be dressed are mounted and retained by vertical cloth-covered strips D, that are adjusted to the greater or less width of stones by horizontal arms D. The arms D slide, by means of slots, along clamp-screws of uprights A, and are rigidly set to the stones thereby. The faces of the stones are covered by wooden holding-plates O, that are lined with heavy cloth to prevent the sand from injuring the stones.

The plates 0 are firmly applied to the stones by lateral strips 0, that are supported and clamped by means of adjustable brackets E, that are applied to the inside of the uprights and set by slots and clamp-screws, in similar manner as the stone-holding pieces D, being thus adapted to secure the plates to the varying thickness of the stones. The

lower ends or heads of the stones, projecting below the plate, extend into a trough, B, of carriage B, that grinds them off by sand and Water placed therein. The trough B is made of a metallic plate of the shape to which the stones are to be ground, and may be readily changed according to the shape to be imparted to the ends of the stones. The metallic shaping-trough B is secured to side and head pieces of carriage B by longitudinal fastening-rods B which, on being unscrewed, admit the removing of the trough and putting in of another.

The plates O'may be provided with projecting lugs at the lower ends to facilitate the true centering of plates and stones.

The dressing of the heads of the stones is by this machine accomplished with a considerable saving of time and labor, and without the least danger of injuring the marble or other slab in cutting out the head portion.

The grinding or dressing of the stone is performed entirely by attrition of the sand and water, the trough determining only the contour or shape of the dressed surface.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A machine for dressing the heads of grave and other stones, being composed .of a reciprocating carriage with head shaping and grinding trough, and of adjustable stone-supporting frames and face-plates, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the holding faceplates 0, adjustable side pieces D D, crosspieces 0, and adjustable brackets E, to support any size of stone to be exposed to the grinding action of the trough, substantially as set forth.

3. The reciprocating carriage, constructed of an exchangeable metallic shaping-trough, supporting side and head pieces, and longitudinal connecting-rods, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN G. MILLER. Witnesses:

S. F. SANGER, S. G. DINKEL. 

